Far to the left are the slopes of Aghold,
where St. Fiac had his monastery, and nearer, the spires of the church
of St. Fiac in Clonegal. The turrets of Huntington Castle can be
picked out in a loop of the Derry at Clonegal, with the Spire of St.
Brigid’s Church keeping a watching brief over the village.

Just beyond Clonegal is Ballinastraw Hill,
on top of which was one of the garrison houses left by the
Cromwellians. On the far left we can pick out Newry Hill, where lived
the mother of Bagenal Harvey the ‘98 leader. When Harvey was captured
on the Saltee Islands he surrendered his sword to the Officer in
charge of the Yeomen, and a young captain asked for it. He was none
other than Ralph James Harvey’s own brother-in-law. He brought the
sword back to Newry where it was kept for many years. The sword was
given to another brother-in-law, named Donohoe who kept it safe, and
it remained in the family for generations. The sword passed on to
Thomas Donohoe‘s grandson, Richard Murphy of Coolruss, who with the
consent of the family presented it to the Wexford museum on permanent
loan.(Source: Carloviana 1987/88)

Huntington Castle (also known as Clonegal
Castle) was built on the site of an old manor house by the
Esmonds in 1625. It is one of the few castles still lived in by
direct descendants of the builder. In 1588 Queen Elizabeth Ist
forces had captured the area and it was given to the Netterville
family who in turn gave it to the Esmonds.
(Source: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Huntington Castle as it stands today, is a
Jacobean gesture in architecture. It was built in 1625 by the
First Lord Esmonde, and replaced an earlier stronghold that had
been built in the 15th century on the site of an ancient
monastery. Approached via a long avenue of majestic limes, it
casts a long finger of shadow across its surroundings, and
possesses a spellbinding quality. Its interior of dark, creaking
corridors and atmospheric rooms, crammed with an eclectic mix of
tapestries, suits of armour, dusty old books, stuffed animals
and family portraits, has a decided otherworldly feel, and it
comes as little surprise to learn that this truly mysterious
castle, which for over two hundred years has been home to the
Durdin-Robertson family, is haunted.

Outside is the 600-year old Yew Walk, one of the
few survivors from the days of the monastery. Its’ curled and
entwined branches form a long and mysterious tunnel that could
so easily be a gateway into another time. On several occasions,
monks manage to transcend the centuries, and their ghostly forms
are seen walking up and down beneath the interlocking canopy.
Elsewhere in the gardens, the restless wraith of Ailish
O’Flaherty, the first wife of Lord Esmonde is sometimes seen
standing by the “Spy Bush”, combing her long hair by moonlight
and wailing in grief-stricken anguish. Her husband and son went
off to the wars, and here she would stand, anxiously awaiting
their return.

A spectral soldier has been known to knock on
the castle door. He is thought to have lived in the 17th
century, when Cromwell’s forces were riding rough shod over the
land. Having disguised himself in the uniform of the opposition,
he set off to gather information about the enemy. But on his
return, his comrades failed recognise him and shot him dead
through the grille of the door where his ghostly face is now
sometimes seen. Crossing the threshold, a portrait of Barbara
St. Lege (1748-1820) hangs on one of the walls inside.

She
married into family and was, apparently, so taken with
Huntingdon Castle, that her spirit still walks the corridors,
jangling her keys as she goes. She is closely followed by her
maidservant, Honor Byrne, pauses to polish door handles with her
hair. Bishop Leslie of Limerick, who stayed at the castle when
he retired in the 18th century, haunts the “Four Poster Room”.
Several guests have woken in the dead of night to find his
genial phantom standing at the foot of the bed. A portrait of a
Spanish flower girl gazes from the wall of the room and, from
time to time, the Bishop’s face has been known to replace hers.

Huntingdon Castle is a magical and timeless
place that possesses a unique atmosphere. It is a tranquil
time-capsule that is truly one of Irelands most historical and
fascinating treasures.